Topic: Have any of you guys playtested?

[GoldenPhoenix]

Well yesterday I went to a playtesting session at Microsoft for a game, can't say what game it was, but honestly I am completely lost as to why I needed to sign an NDA because the game is already out!  Anyway after filling out a survey and stuff we were all given a choice of gratuity, I chose Windows XP Pro. Just wondering if anyone else here has done playtesting for a company?

[Nick DiMola]

I would imagine you had to sign an NDA just in case, that way Microsoft can sue your pants off if you let something out that nobody else knew about.

I've never play tested but I heard it's a pretty interesting position (for a little while at least). My buddy down in Gainesville, FL recently started working as a tester for Artificial Studios play testing Monster Madness for the 360.

[couchmonkey]

Microsoft can sue my pants off any day!  Grrrow!

I'm guessing they don't want you to accidentally reveal a huge gaping bug in the game and tell the world about it before they have a chance to fix it.

I'd like to do some play testing, but there's only one developer around here and I think they manage all that internally.

[Shecky]

I was detered after seeing some negative results.

[Kairon]

I've done a bunch of focus-testing for both games and hardware... but that isn't the same thing I take it.

~Carmine "Cai" M. Red
Kairon@aol.com

[Ages]

I have a friend workin as a tester for Bungie right now, but he won't tell me a damn thing about it!  Damn NDA's

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

Then it's not worth talking about, just like Nintendo.

[Arbok]

My friend worked at LucasArts as a play tester a few years ago. The first game that he really got to work with was Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb. He loved the job at first, as many can imagine, as he was living a childhood dream many of us probably had at one point where he was getting paid to play video games. All considering, the pay wasn't bad for that type of work, better then what I was making at the time. However, the monotonous aspect of the job kicked in and he really started to hate the assignment, especially near the end when long hours of overtime well into the night were expected.

Suffice to say, he left right after the title went gold, which isn't unusual as from my understanding there is a high "burnout" rate in that position.

[Bloodworth]

Full-time testing positions are for the gullible.  Ridiculous overtime, meager pay, usually no benefits, and the companies can keep doing it as long as there are kids fresh out of high school who think the job's cool.

[Ages]

The position does seem rough at times, but my friend is convinced it'll help him get int the game development industry, so I support him all the same.

[Kairon]

Hell, I'D do it if it would act as a stepping stone to a dream job. And I'd the best tester they ever had!!!

~Carmine "Cai" M. Red
Kairon@aol.com

[KDR_11k]

my friend is convinced it'll help him get int the game development industry, so I support him all the same.

Loadsa nonsense, you get hired for a position. If he was qualified to be a developer he should have applied for that. If you'Re a good coder or artist apply for the position you want.

Hell, I'D do it if it would act as a stepping stone to a dream job.

Dream job? Which path do you plan on, coding or art?

[Ian Sane]

I've never tested a game but at my work all developers both program and test other people's work so I've done software testing at a professional level.  I really don't like it much.  It's actually not bad if I do it as a short break between programming.  Then it provides some variety.  But if I have nothing to do but testing for a few days it really sucks.  And at least my company can issue fixes in patches.  On a console if I missed something in testing it couldn't be easily fixed.

[Kairon]

Quote
Originally posted by: KDR_11k
my friend is convinced it'll help him get int the game development industry, so I support him all the same.

Loadsa nonsense, you get hired for a position. If he was qualified to be a developer he should have applied for that. If you'Re a good coder or artist apply for the position you want.

Hell, I'D do it if it would act as a stepping stone to a dream job.

Dream job? Which path do you plan on, coding or art?

The idea is that some companies hire from within. Of course, I'd MUCH rather start a Q & A coder instead of a tester, but when you're trying to break in, you want every possible chance to prove yourself.

~Carmine "Cai" M. Red
Kairon@aol.com

[Sir_Stabbalot]

If you count using the leaked Half-Life 2 Beta/Alpha, then yes.

[Shecky]

I think those Carnegie Mellon University students did an excellent job with their skit and use of Playmotion(R).

And Bloodworth is right... there are a lot of traps for coders/testers fresh out of school, and the pool of volunteers doesn't seem to be drying up.  

[KDR_11k]

The idea is that some companies hire from within.

Yeah but this is like hiring someone from your legal department for servicing rocket engines. Few if any companies take testers into developer positions. Sure, you're close enough to the people to hand them your CV in person but that doesn't count for much. If you have the ability just apply for the position you want directly, that way you don't waste time testing when you could be in a position that's appropriate for your skills. Plus you can apply to more companies than just the one you're testing for.

[Arbok]

Yep, KDR has the right idea here. If your friend has gone to college, and already has some of the qualifications for the job he might want, then he should be applying for higher positions in the company. Playtesting isn't exactly part of a larger ladder, much in the same way you wouldn't expect to see a janitor become a principal of the school some day.